Absolute Math

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again … Read More

Education articles from the past month that caught my eye. One of my favorite articles was by a parent of a student with an IEP who wanted her son to be challenged, all our students deserve to be given the opportunity to learn at the highest levels. I also enjoyed reading about how good teaching can be messy; a teacher … Read More

Children who have strong number sense are more confident and fluent problem solvers. They know how to make numbers work for them and aren’t as intimidated by math when they begin formal schooling. As I’ve shared before, number sense is important to nurture in children from the beginning of their lives. Once a child has learned to count, you can … Read More

Quick: multiply 17 x 12 in your head. How did that feel? You may have approached it several different ways and got an answer of 204. Or you may have felt lost, not even tried it, or felt like you are bad at math. I’m here to tell you a secret: the difference maker here is number sense. Number sense … Read More

Increasing rigor and emphasizing mastery is key to making American students competitive on the world stage. The Smartest Kids in the World, by Amanda Ripley, serves up a bit of tough love to the American education system by exploring the reasons our kids fall further and further behind their international counterparts—especially in math and science—as they progress through our schools. … Read More

Creativity is crucial to problem solving; creative confidence allows individuals to believe in their ability to create change. Creative Confidence pulls together theories of growth mindset and grit, among others, and how to nurture creative capacity to innovate and create positive change in the world. If the purpose of education is to provide tools and knowledge to future generations … Read More

The best thing we can teach students is to be quantitatively literate, think flexibly, and creatively solve problems. What’s Math Got to Do with It? is an approachable overview of the state of the education system in the US and the current research underway to improve it. She writes in depth about many of the issues facing educators and students … Read More

Understanding how to harness the natural power of our brains can make learning easier. How We Learn: The Surprising Truth About When, Where, and Why It Happens by Benedict Carey talks about the research behind learning and goes in depth about how to harness the natural power of our brains to aid learning. This kind of meta-approach helps us realize … Read More

Mindset Matters: How we think about our abilities can dramatically influence our potential. Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by psychologist Carol Dweck is an easy read. The chapters are well organized so you can read only what’s relevant – although you may get sucked into reading the whole thing! A growth mindset describes an individual’s belief that he or … Read More

Non-cognitive skills, such as perseverance, curiosity, and self-control, are just as important as cognitive ability to the success of an individual. How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character is powerfully written and I loved reading it (and highly recommend to anyone interested in education). All the research behind the biological explanations for variation in achievement levels based … Read More